Pune: Bringing further disrepute to the already tarnished image of the Pune Regional Mental Hospital, Yerawada, two convicted patients — including a juvenile — escaped the facility on Sunday night.

Pune Regional Mental Hospital. File pic

The incident came to light after hospital attendant Ramchandra Sonawane lodged a complaint at the Yerawada police station about the missing patients on Monday. The missing patients have been identified as Gitesh Ajit Kale (22), a resident of Parvedgaon in Ahmednagar and a 17-year-old from Thane.

Doc speakDr Madhumita Bahale, superintendent, Regional Mental Hospital, said, “Looks like the two escaped on Sunday night after scaling a 15-feet wall using a rope made from blankets and other clothes. We learnt about the missing duo during the roll call on Monday. During search operation, we discovered that they scaled the boundary wall we share with an IT company. Gitesh has been convicted for committing a serious crime and was admitted to the hospital on March 21 following court’s orders. Similarly, the minor was admitted on April 19 following directives issued by the Juvenile Justice Board.”

She added that while Gitesh was lodged at the Yerawada Central Prison for the last five months and was admitted to the hospital after he started facing psychological problems, the juvenile was brought in from Thane after he showed signs of personality disorder.

Sources in the hospital claimed that the duo had become good friends and would spend time together doing recreational activities assigned to them as part of their therapy.

Cop speakAPI Madhukar Salunke from Yerawada police station said, “Upon learning that the juvenile went home, we rushed a team comprising our officers and hospital staffers to his residence in Thane. But he fled before we reached his house. Gitesh is still on the run.”

Recent boo-boosIn the last few days, the hospital’s reputation took a severe beating owing to the inept behaviours exhibited by its staff. On one occasion, a few of the staffers slipped out of the hospital during duty hours to watch the latest Marathi movie Sairat. On another, the staffers allowed a filmmaker to shoot inside the hospital after he promised to donate 100 fans. However, officers from health department intervened after being tipped about the deal and stopped the shoot on the third day.